Sixth Army Group

[1stlooey]

I have a 21C White Scout Car. It doesn't fit in with my historical time frame (Battle of the Bulge). When I finally get around to working on it, I'm considering converting it into an ambulance.

Does anyone have an opinion to offer on this?

[M37M880]

The WSC has a wheelbase of 131", tire size was a narrow, tall 8.25x20
The 3/4 ton ambulance (both the WC-54 and the Knock down WC-64) had a wheelbase of 121", with the wide tire size of 8.00x16

We have seen the Command Car converted into a 3/4 weapons carrier, both had wheelbase of 98" with the tire size 8.00x16.

I'd use a 21C Command Car and stretch the frame to make an very neat ambulance. Personally, I like the square sided KD WC-64 over making the curved cab and top of the WC-54.

I you only had the WSC for my work, I'd sell it and buy a WC-57 and have money left over to finance the entire ambulance project.

Seems a waste to butcher a WSC and you'd still have to cut up the frame.

TTT

[Sgt Shultz II]

I believe the Scout Cars were turned over to the MP's as they were considered out dated. As an MP vehicle they could fit in with the Bulge but I'm no expert so hopefully someone who knows more will speak up.

[SgtRock]

I agree Ron. WSC's in the ETO have been used by MP units. I do have a ref pic of one during the Normany campaign. Including one in your BOB theme (prisoners around the WSC being lead to the rear of your convoy) would not be overeaching.

[M37M880]

Doing research on BOB White Scout Cars tells us that Scout Cars were used in a few cases as command radio vehicles in the BOB. They mounted two command radio sets in the bed of the scout cars.

As for BOB use of Dodge Command Cars, the last show I did with my 1/1 WC-56, a BOB vet was talking to me and told me that during the BOB, he used to pull out the back seat to make a comfortable sleeping area off the ground during the BOB. He was an assigned driver of his Command Car and the car was used for mail runs, ration and ammo resupply after high ranking officers stopped using them because the Command Car high silhouette made them targets by the Germans who knew high ranking officers rode in them.

Your pics on The Sixth Div of a BOB patrol are super.

As a point on those patrol pics, Patton's personal CC had a .50cal MG mounted on the fender but it was only for show. The fender, even supported underneath, would tear itself off with the firing of the heavy .50cal. I have seen pics of a .30cal water cooled MG mounted on a CC fender as in the pics, but CC's were not seen in combat after the early years of the war, due to the unarmored high silhouette of the CC.

TTT

[1stlooey]

Thanks for the feedback, guys! I've just been trying to figure out what to do with the thing.

TTT, you seem to be saying the WSC is worth some money! I had no idea. I think I'll just sell the thing and pocket the cash.

Ed

[johnro6659]

I have seen the WSC go for some big money on Ebay the same with the Hasbro halftrack even though it's not to scale. I myself would never pay those prices but people will. I only grabbed one WSC when they cleared them out at TRU. I went back for the other three the next day and they were gone! Same with the Hasbro halftracks TRU was having a huge sale they had a few Hasbro halftracks and the M8s at several of the TRU stores near me and I was at one before they opened the doors. I hit the other stores and mysteriously they were all gone the day of the sale when they opened. They all started popping up on Ebay that weekend selling for two to three times the MSRP. Someone must have had the managers take them off the shelves the night before because they were there when TRU closed and not there when they opened the next day.

[mulezilla]

LOL.....I am 90% done painting the Scout car I just cut up to R/C............................Ron